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COLUMBUS—State Representative Stephen Huffman (R-Tipp City) announced that the Ohio House of Representatives has approved the conference committee report on Amended Substitute House Bill 49, the state operating budget. With a major focus on combating Ohio’s dangerous drug epidemic and ensuring that schools receive vital funding, the legislation provides support to areas most in need and keeps spending under the rate of inflation over the biennium.

“The final product of House Bill 49 is a balanced and comprehensive budget that will keep essential programs in the state running efficiently, ensure proper resources for quality education, and address the drug epidemic across the state,” said Rep. Huffman. “Through innovative planning and the belief that every tax dollar must be allocated responsibly, we worked to craft a bill that will keep Ohio’s economy moving in the right direction.”

The bill addresses the following issues, among others:

COMBATING THE DRUG EPIDEMICAs championed by the House through the Ohio HOPES (Heroin, Opioids, Prevention, Education and Safety) Agenda, the budget tackles the state’s drug epidemic head-on with funding totaling $180 million in new money. Investments focused on the areas of prevention, treatment, mental health care and workforce programs ensure that communities across Ohio, both rural and urban, receive the support they need to educate young people, help those who are addicted and prevent overdose deaths, which is a statistic that continues to rise.

PRIORITIZING SCHOOLSEnhancing opportunities for all Ohioans is a central component of the state operating budget with an increase in K-12 education funding by $154 million in FY’18 and $120 million in FY’ 19. The bill also increases per-pupil funding and rewards high-performing educational service centers.

LOWERING THE COST OF HIGHER EDUCATIONThe bill promotes tuition guarantee programs to provide more cost consistency to students while also requiring colleges to study textbook expenses in order to ultimately reduce the cost of obtaining a college degree.

STRENGTHENING ACCOUNTABILITY WITHIN THE MEDICAID PROGRAMHouse Bill 49 makes Ohio the first state to seek a federal waiver to freeze new enrollment to the Medicaid Group VIII expansion population with certain exemptions (the drug addicted and mentally ill). Additionally, through a series of provisions, the budget strengthens accountability in the state’s Medicaid program by placing guardrails on future Medicaid Group VIII spending through the Controlling Board. The bill also returns Medicaid oversight to the General Assembly by directing the Department of Medicaid to seek a federal waiver to require a Group VIII Medicaid recipient to be one of the following: over 55, medically fragile, employed, in an education or workforce training program, or in a recovery program.

MODERNIZING THE CAUV (CURRENT AGRICULTURAL USE VALUE) FORMULA Through various reforms to be phased in over a six-year period, the bill aims to offer property tax relief for farmers by reducing the taxable value of farmland.